The tragedy has killed seven victims so far. Without giving much time to the kingpins to play truant, SIT cracked down on “kingpins” of the illicit and spurious liquor racket and raided their premises in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and apprehended some of them for last 24 hours.
Though the police did not share all details, DGP Sanjay Kundu indicated that the "case has been cracked".
But the impunity with which the liquor mafia runs its cartel in the region has raised questions on the role of the excise and police of the region responsible for taking action.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told Media that nobody would be spared in the matter and the culprits would be brought to justice. The government had announced Rs 8 lakh compensation to each of the victims earlier.
The raids and prompt investigation have revealed that “spurious and illicit liquor racket and syndicate” is much more widespread and deep-rooted in the region. The spurious liquor has killed seven people in Slappar-Kangu-Saroh belt after the victims had consumed spurious liquor on January 17-18.
DGP Sanjay Kundu, who was supervising the investigation said the sustained interrogation and progress has led to identification of kingpins involved in the matter. Consequently, some of them have been apprehended and multiple raiding teams have searched various premises in different locations in the state and neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
“These search teams have seized incriminating material and evidences from the spots and the search is in progress”, he said.
Considering the scope of investigation and the racket involved, the DGP Sanjay Kundu has expanded the special investigation team (SIT) and set up the camp office in SP office Baddi to coordinate with other states for timely action.
Kundu has included four police officers- Mohit Chawla, IPS SP Baddi, Arjit Sen, IPS SP Una, Puneet Raghu, HPS additional SP, Kangra and Yogesh Rolta, HPS, SDPO Parwanoo. The camp office will coordinate with other states and ensure timely action, he said.
Earlier, Arvind Digvijay Negi, IPS, a seasoned police officer, who has worked in National Investigation Agency (NIA) and worked upon important cases of national interest, who was also awarded President of India medal for illustrative service twice, was also include in the five-memberSIT, headed by the IG Central range Madhu Sudan to bring all the accused to justice in the case, DGP stated.
While the SIT has kept the details of raids and apprehending of the kingpins secret in its bid to reach to the bottom of the racket, DGP said the investigation is moving ahead in the right direction and every aspect of this nefarious racket in under scanner.
DGP said details of the investigation so far are crucial for further crackdown and thus cannot be divulged at the moment. “Further updates shall be shared in future”.
SIT had arrested four accused- Sohan Lal, 27, alias Ravi, 27, from Chhajwar, Maloh, Pradeep Kumar, 47. alias Deep of village Saroh, Jagdish Chand, 53, village Sudhan and Achar Singh, 69, Sudhan, all from Sundernagar tehsil in last the 48 hours. They have political connection as two of them are ex pradhan and related to present pradhan- a revelation that has shocked the villagers.
They were remanded to police custody till January 26 and SIT has been interrogating them. The accused have learnt to have given the vital clues that have helped police to bust the entire illegal liquor syndicate in the region, sources said.
The police had lodged the FIR under sections 304, 308, 120B IPC on January 19, 2022 after the two persons died at the Ner Chowk medical college after they consumed desi Santra brand and star whisky at Slappar.
So far seven villagers have died while two are still under treatment. The victims are Chet Ram, Sudesh Kumar (Slappar), Lal Singh ( Sudhan), Kala Ram (Kangu), Rajneesh Kumar(Kharota). The two victims from the same area succumbed today at the Ner Chowk medical college and while two others were under treatment there.
There could be more victims as the accused used to supply the spurious liquor to villagers for the last more than one year under the nose of the excise inspectors and police, charged the villagers.
The police have also booked two liquor firms- Santra Brand Desi liquor, VRV foods ltd Sansarpur Terrace, Kangra and Power star fine whisky, industrial area, phase-2 Chandigarh under section 304, 308 and 120 B in an FIR lodged at the police station, Sundarnagar on January 19.
